1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to landscape light apparatus and, more particularly, to a light post which may extend partially into the ground, an external post, and internal lamp within the two posts and a lens at the top of the posts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Outdoor lighting fixtures have been used for many decades. Typically, prior to the late 1980""s, an outdoor lighting fixture typically comprised a lighting fixture secured to a metal box which was in turn secured to a conduit extending upwardly from the ground. There were different types of lighting fixtures, two of which were most typically used were the so called pagoda type and the bullet type. The terms were descriptive of the general configuration of the light fixtures.
An improvement over the prior art described in the preceding paragraph is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,877 (Carter) which discloses a nonconductive post and cap with a metal bushing on the cap to which a two-wire fixture may be secured. The conductive (metal) bushing includes a ground wire for appropriately grounding the fixture.
With the advent of three-wire fixtures, the metal bushing on the cap of the xe2x80x2877 apparatus was replaced by a unitary plastic bushing to which a three-wire fixture was then connected. The xe2x80x2877 apparatus, and its sequels, required a light fixture to be secured to the post. Most of the post was disposed in the ground, typically with only the cap above ground and perhaps a relatively short length of the post. The posts were (and are) made of nonconductive material, typically PVC, which is impervious to moisture and ultraviolet radiation damage from the sun.
A limitation of the xe2x80x2877 apparatus is that it is only a post, and does require a light fixture to be secured to it. Thus, there is still a potential problem of the light fixture itself being damaged by vandals, inadvertently bumped by yard equipment, etc.
There are numerous unitary light fixtures or bollards in the prior art which both predate and anti-date the apparatus of the xe2x80x2877 patent. Examples of such are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,297,916 (Sauer), which discloses a marine flagpole light and socket. U.S. Pat. No. 3,242,252 (Bergenstein) discloses an outdoor lighting fixture which includes a transformer within a post type housing and a lamp fixture secured to the upper portion of the post.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,671,738 (Beachley) discloses an outdoor light fixture with a double hinged piece for securing a post to the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,372 (Chochran) discloses a lighting standard having an ornamental exterior and a central pole within the ornamental outer element or shell.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,899 (Sanner) discloses an outdoor electrical luminare structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,484 (Winden) discloses another type of outdoor lighting bollard, a primary feature of which is its vandal resistant structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,768 (Gebelius) discloses a support member for a lighting fixture which is secured to a base by a locking member. Two types of locking members are illustrated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,233 (Poyer) discloses an outdoor marine lighting fixture, the structure of which is made of nonconductive material(PVC plastic), and within which is disposed a fluorescent lamp.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,999,749 and 5,075,833 (Dormand) disclose two embodiments of vandal resistant bollard lights. The xe2x80x2749 apparatus uses concentric tubular members while the xe2x80x2833 apparatus uses only a single steel tubular element.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,347 (Ruud et al) discloses a bollard luminare with specific configurations of reflectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,454 (White) discloses an outdoor lighting fixture disposed in the ground with only a lens cap extending above the ground level. The structure is primarily made of polymer substances, such as PVC and ABS. A lamp is secured with the structure, which includes a pair of cylindrical elements.
The apparatus of the present invention improves over the designs suggested by the above discussed patents by providing tamper-proof lighting fixture with a lens configuration for directing light in a desired direction. The apparatus is primarily made of impervious material, such as PVC, with preferably a polycarbonate lens for directing the light as desired.
The invention described and claimed herein comprises outdoor lighting apparatus which includes a ground post which may either be disposed on the ground or a portion in the ground and a portion above the ground, a lighting fixtures disposed on the ground post, a lens diffuser disposed on the lighting fixture, with a lens secured to the upper portion of the lens diffuser, and an outer post housing disposed about the ground post, the fixture, and the upper post lens diffuser. Different embodiments are illustrated. The ground post and the outer post housing are preferably made of PVC material which is impervious to moisture and ultraviolet light, and, depending on the thickness, is very resistant to damage. The PVC material is also nonconductive.
Among the objects of the present invention are the following:
To provide new and useful outdoor lighting apparatus;
To provide new and useful outdoor lighting apparatus including post elements and a lamp within the post elements;
To provide new and useful outdoor lighting apparatus including a ground post, a lighting fixture disposed on the ground post, an upper post or lens diffuser disposed on the fixture, and an outer post housing disposed over the ground post, the fixture and the lens diffuser;
To provide new and useful lighting apparatus including a lighting fixture and a lens for diffusing light provided by a lamp in the fixture in a desired direction;
To provide new and useful outdoor lighting apparatus having a weed guard and stabilizer disposed about a ground post; and
To provide new and useful outdoor lighting apparatus including a flush mount post for mounting on a surface.